(Note: this is a living document and things will be added and altered as needed for each new story)

7.) Previous Battlemages in the Battlemage world

1.) General terms

Seasons: Years are referred to as "seasons" by the inhabitants of this world. They do tell time in months and hours, but also by the passing of years as seasons similar to how the American Indians used to do it.

World Development: While the world has a mixture of medieval society, there are other elements from the world that we know of that are intermixed with in their society.

Magic: Magic is divided into five schools, Blue, Red, Green, White, and Black. Of those five schools there are eight levels to be reached. Every mage must be tested by a ranking and sanctioned member of the mages council. While there are infinite ways to use magic, there are basic spells that one must prove mastery over to be able to progress to the next level.

The circles and their general powers are:

Blue - Based on mental powers. Invisibility, telekinesis, and duplication of person or their abilities falls under this category. Everyone has a touch of blue in them even if they can't tap directly into it. It is the ability to 'shape' magic to your will.

Red* - Based in Fire and anger. Any and all fire spells will always fall into the realm of Fire magic. Primarily only offensive abilities, but Aric shows an ability to create firewalls that can block any spell and destroy them at the base level.

Green - Based in Nature or nature based spells. Anything that can be seen as force in nature can be duplicated (earthquakes, tornadoes, lighting, rain, etc)

White - Basis for any form of healing. If someone is healed of sickness or the body is mended in some way it is with the use of White.

Black - Based on disease and death. Any form of necromancy or man made/created plagues or sickness also falls into this category. It is a way to corrupt the body or the land around you.

Mages are tested by being given a particular set of "commonly known" spells from all five schools (circles) to perform. The mages seeking to pass the tests has to perform "all" the given spells flawlessly to the satisfaction of the examiner, while also demonstrating repeatability and an understanding of the spells they are casting.

This is to prevent the chances that they pulled off the spell once as a fluke. They are often expected to perform each spell at least a minimum of three times at the request of the examiner.

Black circle testing is often theory as opposed to actual practice due to the dangerous nature of Black, but the actual spells can be substituted for the required theory at the request of the applicant.

The testing also demonstrates the applicant's use of power and control as well as a through knowledge of the spells of the magic school in question. The more schools they seek to be acknowledged in the longer the test takes to administer.

Also magic users are divided into two general types Mages and Archmages. On average only 1 in every 100,000 – 150,000 people can be a mage of some form of power.

*note: Currently the most powerful school to use based purely on the offensive abilities.

Mage: While the pubic calls anyone who can use magic a "Mage", officially only those who reach at least sixth level in any school are the only one considered mages by the Mages council. All others are just considered magic users by them.

A mage may have power and abilities in as many other schools as they can safely master, but often it is in one or two schools on average.

Mages have one type of school that they have an affinity with, or that is considered to be their most powerful and primary school, even if they learn and master other schools.

Archmages: These are ones who have raised their skills to the highest level and form. To qualify a mage must first raise their power, control, and skill to the level where they have proven mastery of all five circles of magic and in all eight levels, and of those few who can, then often reach this point late in their lives because of the training and power needed. It is similar to exercising ones physical muscles to get stronger.

Even if one becomes an Archmage, they still have an affinity in a primary school.

While the stories often focus on the magic of various Battlemages and those who interact with them, all Battlemages are born with the potential to be Archmages from birth and as such are extremely rare compared to the normal mage populace.

Battlemages are on average born once every 1000 years and already have access to Archmage level magic. They just need to learn how to use, channel, and control it.

Magic Power levels: Each mage has only so much power to be able to cast spells. Most often mages will use lower level spells so that they can use more of them than one large spell.

If someone can be killed with a level 3 lighting bolt it makes more sense to use that and conserve power than it does to overkill with a level 8 lighting bolt. It takes far less power and doesn't exhaust the mage.

Each spell uses as set amount of power from each mage no matter what spell it is. At this point in the storyline this can not be changed nor can it be altered.

Magic returns over time. Usually sleep or at some point with-in 24 hours. If given enough time magic returns gradually, though it can be exhausted in a rush it's a slow gradual return.

There are three notable exceptions to this magical rule:

- Kathryn "Kat" Stockton is a human/elemental hybrid. Due to the nature of how she gained her power she currently has no upper limit to how much power she can store or carry at one time.

In theory she can carry an infinite amount of power and use all the powerful spells she has the power to cast. But she has a weakness in that she has to have relations with males to regain her power because it will not return over time on its own.

Without gaining a source of outside power Kat's only magical powers are the power to craft illusions on herself to appear as someone else, traveling to another point of her choosing that appears as if she disappeared in a cloud of smoke, and willing others into not seeing her if they have not already noticed her, making it almost as if she is invisible.

- Wolfgang Charles Duvall was a former low level single school blue mage who had his magical power changed during a fight with the worlds first Battlemage.

As such his current power allows him to link "minds" with other magical beings which also allows him to increase his power based on a percentage of how many members are currently on this network. This also allows him to use all five schools and not just his original school in Blue as well as directly hear the thoughts of those linked to him.

This power works in such a way that as long as there are mages with power available joined to the network, no matter where they are in the world, he will not run out of magical power. But also in theory if all the mages in the network has their magical power exhausted, then his ability to draw power would also not be available, but so far hasn't happened.

Currently there are two major weaknesses in his network. One is that his power is scaled by the number of mages joined and these mages age and die leaving power gaps, and the second weakness hasn't been revealed yet.

- Aric and his children as Battlemages. (See the section on Battlemages below)

Magical power scaling: To show the scaling of magical power - (first circle mages have at the very least 1000 units per school)

- One School mage - 1000 to a maximum of 10,000 units of internal power.

This varies based if they are only capable of learning the first circle or if they can go all the way up to the eighth circle

- Multi-School mage (2 or more) - 2000 to a maximum of 50,000 of units of internal power

- Archmage (all five schools to eighth circle) – 80,000 units of internal power on average.

- Battlemage, through training and/or natural abilities: estimated 120,000 units

- Battlemage, naturally born: estimated 200,000 units *

- Kat Stockton: Situational, but near infinite

- Wolfgang Duvall: Situational, but near infinite

*note: While Aric started at this level of power as a Battlemage, he gave Brianna an estimated 50,000 units to save her life lowering his level to an estimated 150,000 units.

Warrior: A Warrior is someone who has at least one martial arts skill with either weapons or the use of unarmed combat. It also extends to someone considered a Warrior in training.

Battlemage: By definition is a very rare person in the world who can choose both the paths Mage or Warrior and dedicates their life to mastering that life choice. A Battlemage has the ability to master both where as a normal person would not.

Because of their uncommon and sometimes extreme physical strength, intelligence, and mimic abilities they can use these abilities to learn various different skills from both skill paths at an extreme often alarming rate.

While they can potentially master any weapon, like mages do with magic, they often have a preference for a weapon type that they can use to its most devastating potential. Even if they chose a different weapon, their favorite one is the one that they can often hold an army at bay with, similar to how mages have a school that is their most powerful.

Battlemages have one other defining ability that no one else has. It is a double edged power that is both a blessing and a curse. Battlemages can borrow against future power now to increase the power or duration of spells exponentially, but it is a temporary increase.

This is due to a mixture of adrenaline and desperation. But once the adrenaline wears off the Battlemage falls unconscious until they repay their body back for the heavy overuse. They are unable to defend themselves and are at the mercy of whoever finds them while they are unconscious.

While they have much more power on average than the average Archmage, they can still overextend themselves if need calls for it. Where a normal mage would be defenseless once their power was exhausted, a Battlemage can keep on fighting and calling forth magic as needed.

But for how long they are unconscious once the rush is gone is dependant on how much power is borrowed and used.

They also have the ability to either cause their eyes to glow red, during times of intense uncontrolled anger, or they can change their eyes to red on their own through practice and intent.

The entire eye is not turned red, but whatever normal color they might have had (blue, brown, grey, green, etc) is now replaced by a bright blood red color.

2. Guilds and Schools

Guild - Sisters of the Sacred Blade: This is an exclusive guild of only mercenary warrior women. Males are not accepted as members nor allowed to petition to enter the guild or its grounds, except for designated areas.

For a female to enter they must first have an entrance exam. This usually consists of a fight against a current, but low ranking member. The applicant doesn't have to win, but they do have to show the ability to hold their own in the fight. The guild prides itself as being the best of the best and doesn't accept just anyone, and anyone who doesn't at least demonstrate some basic forms of skills aren't accepted.

To get an entrance exam you either must have a sponsor, be recruited, or be the child of a current or former member. Female children of members and former members are seen as those members apprentice's and automatically entered in the guild registry as members.

These female children are expected to be presented for evaluation by no later than the date of their thirteenth birthday to see if they qualify to be a member and if they do they will be ranked at that time.

If any child fails to appear for any reason during that year the First blade will go and do a private evaluation. If the child passes that evaluation they will be informed to head to the guild for their formal ranking test and will at that time be put on the roster as a full guild member.

The entrance exam is only to get in the door and not the same as a ranking exam. These are two separate events and as such are usually done on different days.

Sisters of the Sacred Blade Ranks and Naming: The guild had 10 levels of Ranking.

The ranks start with level 10 which is for a new member who is called a "Sister" and someone who may be just be proficient with weapons, according to guild standards.

These are most often first year members or very young members.

As the Sisters progress in skill they move up the rankings at various testing times and they are given a new ranking level.

All upper level Sisters fall into either rank 3 or rank 2. If a Sister wants to move into a Rank 1 slot, either due to vacancy or because they feel it is something that they want, they can request to compete against someone who holds the current slot they are after during any formal rank testing.

There are currently only 8 slots at Rank one and they are called the Guild Blades.

Guild Blades serve as the generals on the battlefield and they are ranked 1 through 8 with the First Blade being the only General that only reports directly to the guild master for any issues or problems, all other Blades going down the levels report to each other in turn.

On the battlefield the First Blades commands are law to the guild.

Blades can be either Mages or Warriors, though most often the position is held by warriors unless the Mage in question is of a very high power. Because it takes time to gather the power to use spells often only those who have a quick wit and grasp of a situation can overpower a warrior. This is also what makes them a good leader and fit to be a Blade.

There has only been one applicant who was already of Blade level upon entering the guild.

Rayne Griffith defeated three Guild Blades at the same time at thirteen during her ranking exam to enter at a ranking of Rank 2 and four Guild Blades at the same time at twenty two to take over the position of First Blade.

Her mother Brianna Griffith (formerly d'Angelo) was at the position to take it at twenty five but before she could she left the guild to marry Aric Griffith.

They are the only two fighters to be in a position to take that primary slot before the age of thirty in the entire guilds history.

The most notable members in the guild history so far have been: Anne-Marie (Anne-Marie the swift blade), known for her cunning military intelligence and planning, Brianna d'Angelo, know for her unmatched weapon skill and learning knew weapons ability, and Rayne Griffith, know for her raw magical power and quick decision making on the battlefield.

While there have been at least 3000 guild members at the same time either on active duty or as reserve members in good standing somewhere in the land, less than 1/16 of those members have ever earned a guild name during their time as guild members.

To earn a guild name a member has to do something so noteworthy for the guild that this is how they are recognized by their fellow members and others outside the guild by what they have done.

It is the hope that every member will have the chance to earn one, but the reality is that very few actually do.

Guild - Phalanx of Rebirth: This was a male only guild that Aric and Brianna joined while on the run under the names of Nathan and Ariel Michaels. The guild specializes in taking on jobs that either no one wants, have been unable to complete, or deemed to tough for other guilds.

To be recognized as a full fledged member Brianna had to defeat several men in various forms of single combat using weapons of their choice before they recognized her skill.

This is the current home of Aric and Brianna after letting the world at large believe in Brianna's apparent death at the hands of a Dragon. Their friends Rory Goffner and Terrance Combs introduced them to the guild as potential new members.

Mage's Council: The Mage's Council is an independent group that oversees all magic and magic users in the world.

By their charter they as a group are prevented from actually interfering in local governments, but member are free to seek employment with in any kingdom, as long as they remember guild resources and members will not be drawn into person disputes no matter what they are.

This rule has been enforced on more than one occasion with the offending member who sought retribution being either sanctioned or in some cases outright killed to insure the rule stays in place.

Often mages don't take governmental offices or within Kingdom armies as they may be at odds with a fellow friend and member if they do. But there have been cases of this happening

If anyone practices magic they are required to register with the mages guild so that they can be tracked.

As such, many of these freedoms may lead to various groups fighting with fellow members such as Mercenary groups and fighter guilds, but those who seek or take these jobs are prepared for this.

But while working as paid fighters guild members or mercenary groups they still also have the freedom to turn down jobs that would put them at odds with fellow members.

Starfall Academy: A mage city/school where young mages can live and be trained in how to better use magic. It is a week's travel to the east of Northfields. It is also where the Mage's guild is able to watch and catalog different mages skills and abilities.

Even though it is treated as if it was a university it is entirely financed by the mages council. This is one way that they can control the learning and direction of new mages.

Some mages, who don't want to be controlled this way, or want to hide some of their abilities from others, often seek a mentor or Master to train them in the formal Master\Apprentice setup that has worked for centuries.

3.) Towns and Cities

Northern edge of the continent: The majority of the inhabitants are most often fair skinned. Their chief commerce is farming and agriculture. The area is cool without being harsh.

Southern edge of the continent: The majority of the inhabitants are often darker, and most noted for having either a golden or deep brown look to their skin. Main form of commerce is shipping of everything from food and various items to slavery.

Kingdom of Northfields: Aric's boyhood home and is a major agricultural city and capital of the Kingdom. The capital city has the same name as the Kingdom.

City of Mariner's Deep: Aric's home as a young adult. Where his new family (wife, daughter, and two sons) were raised and is a major shipping port town on the southern tip edge of the continent.

City of Galicia: Home of Matt and David Spencer. Know for its advancements of the sciences and its very liberal lifestyle.

The Hidden Keep: Name of the Tavern first owned by Gemma and later shared with Aaron when they married. Where Aric first meets Brianna and is known as the home where young troubled women often come to get a job to help them get back on their feet.

4.) Notable characters in Aric's childhood

Jaden David Griffith (deceased): Aric's father died while protecting a caravan from raiders. Before his death was a semi-famous unarmed fighter in high demand and who was rumored to also at the time for never having lost a fight. Master of all fifteen forms of his particular combat style.

He was considered hot tempered and quick to action. He was uncommonly strong for a man and fighter.

Rayne Teresa Griffith (deceased): Aric's mother died while protecting a caravan from raiders. At the time was a level seven fire mage. Before her death she was a well known and powerful Red mage from her home city of "Mariner's Deep".

At seeing her husband Jaden's death she lured the remaining fighters in close and used the last remains of her power to kill everyone including herself.

Caelan Austin Griffith: Aric's uncle who took him in and raises him after his parents death. Caelan is the one who teaches young Aric to in unarmed combat up to the tenth level of the style he knows so that the bullies will quit picking on Aric, because Aric's is honoring a promise he made as a child to never hit anyone and sticking to his promise is causing him problems.

He is a blacksmith in Aric's home city of Northfields and later moves away to the borders of the eastern Kingdom to become a blacksmith in a small town because of guild politics.

Mavis Griffith: Aric's aunt. She is the one to pushes his uncle Caelan to teach Aric to fight after he was beaten up because he was smart and because he was pudgy as a child. She is also the one who pushes for the children (hers and Aric) to learn to read, write, and go to school so that he can become more than an uneducated farm hand.

During this time no one has any form of a real education and Mavis pushes for her children and Aric to receive one when the opportunity arises for it to happen.

Aric Nathaniel Griffith: Very young, but the current Battlemage of this timeline. A young man who has yet to master any of the five circles (schools) of magic. Has masters the first ten levels of his art in unarmed combat.

Notable strengths: demonstrated Red magic affinity similar to his mother, extreme physical strength, photographic memory, able to mimic any action once he views it, and extremely high intelligence. Can read, write, knows mathematics, geography, and what passes for science in his world.

Later due to Daven's manipulations is impressed into the Kingdoms army at the field rank of Captain due to Aric's experience with fighting and at being tutored by Aaron in tactics of war.

As a teen after one year of training at Starfall Academy invented a way to quickly cast a spell that only requires a single power word to activate. Aric at the time could store up to 20 spells this way.

At the time Aric leaves Northfields he is third level in all five schools.

Andrea Marie Stockton: Childhood friend, girlfriend, and later fiancé of Aric's. She was given the nickname "Andy" that only Aric is allowed to call her. She normally hates being called by this name because she believes it makes her sound like a boy, but she has allowed only Aric to call her that since childhood because of how close they are. They have been together since they were four years old.

Andrea is considered one of the most attractive girls in the city. Because of all the attention she has been getting since she was a child she is a touch vain, very curious, and view Aric as her protector and the boyfriend that all girls really want to have.

She has loved Aric since they were twelve but that doesn't stop her curiosity of wondering what other boys may be like and how life with them might be.

Andrea also has the ability to get Aric in trouble by using her make out sessions with him to get him to agree with taking her dangerous places where Aric often gets into fights with other men who want to get her to go off with them so they can do things with her themselves.

Prince Daven Silas d'Arnold (deceased): Aric's former best friend and the former Crown Prince of the Kingdom of Northfields. One notable fact is that many women find him extremely attractive.

Aric saves his life twice. Once when they were thirteen and Daven is attacked down by the taverns by the waterfront for his money. The robbers were going to kill him so that he can't tell anyone who robbed him.

The second time was when Aric's Battlemage power activates and Aric uses his power to prevent an attacking army from killing the both of them and wiping out the kingdoms army to a man. Daven had used their friendship to get Aric onto the battlefield and it was only that action that changed Aric's life forever.

Daven, while appearing to be a dedicated friend to Aric, is very vain, self centered, selfish, and enjoys sleeping with other men women or wives. He sees this as his way of proving that he is the better man because those women are choose to be with him over who they are currently with.

His interest in these women is only in the chase and capture.

Once he beds them he then only has interest in them until he can get them to do every depraved act he can think of, and once either they have done it all or they start to refuse him, he then starts looking around for a new conquest. His sole enjoyment comes from making them do humiliating things.

One slight exception is that Daven is also is highly attracted to Andrea Aric's girlfriend, but has no real love for her. His only interest lies in proving that he is better than Aric, especially after his Battlemage powers activate, and making her another of his conquest.

While respect and loyalty is something he requires from others it isn't anything that he is willing to give others freely.

King Garland d'Arnold (deceased): Daven's father and former King of the Northfields kingdom. King Garland doesn't like Aric and thinks his son is lowering himself by being friends with him. Once he later learns that Aric has the potential to be a powerful mage, he then only wants him around him for what he can get out of him.

The King also has plans to use Aric's power to invade other kingdoms.

King Garland like his son Daven proved himself in his youth by sleeping with other men's wives and girlfriends. It is something he taught Daven was the measure of a great man and monarch. Now later in life host wild sex parties for all the upper nobility to endear and keep their loyalty, and he keeps several women at the castle that he rotates for these parties.

The King meets his end after indirectly causing the death of the second wife of Aaron.

Queen Reina d'Arnold (deceased): Wife of King Garland and mother to Daven, Nathan, and Tomas. Only woman King Garland gave up his lifestyle for, but once she died he returned to it. She was rumored to be a kind sweet woman of unequalled beauty.

King Garland dotes on Daven as his favorite son because he is the image of Queen Reina and he reminds him of her and better times with her before she died giving birth to their last son Tomas.

Aaron Thomas: (Captain of the Guard): Highly intelligent tactician and renowned in the kingdom as a fierce sword fighter who was given the position for life because of how embarrassed the old King was at how his son Prince Garland (later King Garland) was publicly carrying on with Aaron's at the time wife Jewel.

The old King saw this but felt it was a valid reward for what was taken from him as he could see his son Prince Garland and his friends and other nobles were only partying and sleeping with as many people as they could find. The old King knew that the people would only suffer later without someone to truly care for them.

Aaron accepted the position and managed to use it directly improve the lives of the people in the kingdom, so much that everyone viewed him as the true power in the kingdom. He is very loved by the citizens.

Eventually Aaron was able to get his divorce from Jewel, because she temporarily had it blocked by at the time Crown "Prince" Garland. The Princes agreed to it as a condition of Jewel becoming one of his kept women, but after while he lost interest in her and no longer stood in Aaron's way of seeking a divorce.

Aaron held the field rank of Colonel in the Kingdom's Army.

Jewel Thomas: One time wife of Aaron. She left Aaron to be a kept woman Prince Garland for a year and a half after the Prince saw her shopping in the market. The only condition that she had was that while she was in the company of the Prince was that he was to prevent Aaron from ever divorcing her so that she would have a safety net to fall back on.

One day she was eventually replaced by a younger woman and was surprised that the Prince reneged on his deal to help her keep Aaron and cruelly threw her out of the castle.

Jewel eventually fled the kingdom under the cover of darkness for some unknown reason once all the nobles and people turned their back on her, and no one knew where she went.

Quinlan: Palace mage who specializes in Blue magic. Took the mages job at the castle in Northfields but still had contacts that sit on the board of Archmages that rule with in the Mages council.

Nathan and Tomas: The younger brothers of Daven. Unlike Daven who kept in top physical shape to lure the ladies, these two let themselves go because they care.